The Switzers weare no Coates, but doublets and hose of panes, intermingled with Red and Yellow, and some with Blew, trimmed with long Puffes of Yellow and Blewe Sarcenet rising up betwixt the Panes, besides Codpieces of the like colours, which Codpiece because it is by that merrie French writer Rablais stile the first and principall piece of Armour, the Switzers do weare it as a significant Symbole of the assured service they are to doe to the French King in his Warres, and of the maine burden of the most laborious imployments which lye upon them in time of Peace, as old suresbyes to serve for all turnes.
But the originall of their wearing of Codpieces and partie-coloured clothes grew from this; it is not found that they wore any till Anno 1476 at what time the Switzers tooke their revenge upon Charles Duke of Burgundie, for taking from them a Towne called Granson within the Canton of Berne, whom after they had defeated, and shamefully put to flight, together with all his forces, the found there great spoyles which the Duke left behind, to the valew of three Millions, ats it was said.
But the Switzers being ignorant of the valew of the richest things, tore in pieces the most sumptuous Pavilions in the world, to make themselves coates and breeches; some of them sold Silver dishes as cheape as Pewter, for two pence half-pennie a piece, and a great Pearle hanging in a Jewell of the Dukes for twelve pence, in memorie of which insipid simplicite, Lewes the eleventh King of France, who the next yeare after entertained them into his Pension, caused them to bee uncased of their rich Clothes made of the Duke of Burgundies Pavilions, and ordained that they should ever after weare Suites and Codpieces of those varyegated colours of Red and Yellow.
I observed that all these Switzers do weare Velvet Cappes with Feathers in them, and I noted many of them to be very clusterfisted lubbers. As for their attire, it is made so phantastically, that a novice newly come to the Court, who never saw any of them before, would halfe imagine, if he should see one of them alone without his weapon, hee were the Kings foole.
